


Jack of all Trades

by syusuke



Series: ANBU Kakashi [4]
Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: ANBU dynamics, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Bingo book, Character Study, Gen, Rokudaime Hatake Kakashi, the myth of hound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-17 04:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16509647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syusuke/pseuds/syusuke
Summary: After the war there was a severe lack of ninjas. Yamato does not approve of Kakashi's decisions. Kakashi is surprised by a new ANBU guarding him.





	Jack of all Trades

“Yo, Anbu-san. Come in, I have a special mission for you.”

The Anbu couldn’t quite hide his surprise. He had been as stealthy as always, but then again he was guarding the Hokage. Without hesitation he jumped through the window and stood at attention before the Hokage’s desk. 

It wasn’t part of his job to be overly concerned with politics. He knew as much as needed for missions, but even that was kept at a minimum. Additionally, he wasn’t interested. Even so, he had not been able to avoid the commotion of the new Hokage’s inaugaration. There had been a lot of critical voices within the village. A lot of them thought it foolish to let a ninja with no remaining family ties, lead their beloved village. Some complained about a lack of prestige. Others didn’t trust a man who hid most of his face behind a mask. A select few even dared to accuse him of being too weak. They defended their opinion fiercely, stating that so far it had always been the strongest ninja of their times to lead.  
Anbu Hound was looking at his Hokage, patiently awaiting instructions. The quiet assessment of the dark gray eyes unsettled him, it was almost as if the man was looking into his heart.

“When have you joined the ANBU?”  
“A few weeks ago. I was in the last group Lady Tsunade selected.”

The Hokage nodded slowly. His gaze still transfixed.  
Hound suddenly felt very young. He had been serving the Leaf undercover for almost a year and had been called back just before the war. He had fought in the great shinobi alliance, he had felt the unspoken agreement that the man before him, was the best tactician out of all the villages. No one had seriously doubted his strategies, different villages worked together in special squads. There had been great losses, but in the end they won and the war was over. No one questioned the way they fought. Every last shinobi who had been there, who had seen the enemies first hand, had nothing but respect for this man. 

“Did Tsunade asign you this mask?”  
“..She approved of me joining the ANBU.”  
“No, this mask. The Hound. Did she asign that to you?”  
“No. My team leader gave me Hound. I can change it, if it is an issue.”  
“Maah.. Keep it. I’m glad, Konoha has a Hound again. It has been a long time since that mask was retired. Anyway, Cat is on guard duty at the western gates. Switch with him.”  
“Yes.”

 

Hound left as quickly as he could. Kakashi Hatake might not be the most impressive ninja in the bingo book, but Hound still felt the chill in his bones. He could only hope that the new Hokage would also approve of him. Lady Tsunade had been frightening, because she had a bad temper and was quick with her fists. Lord Kakashi on the other hand... Even with his special training Hound could not read him at all, he was silent, observing, analyzing. There had even been a hint of killing intent, when the mask had been discussed. 

Yamato felt a sudden flare of chakra. He wasn’t surprised when Hound appeared next to him. The young Anbu seemed tense. Not unusual regarding his duty today.  
“Lord Hokage ordered us to switch duties. Standard perimeter?”  
“Yes, Raven has section 3 and Mouse is on 1. Shift lasts for another six hours, then falon will take over from you.”  
“Good, you are the lone guard today. Lord Hokage informs you when the shift ends. No night guard.”

Yamato nodded and went off as quickly as he could. Kakashi currently had no guard – the idiot. It was not really a surprise. Of course, Kakashi had just dismissed his own guards to send them on missions. With the war over and the deaths they had suffered, they could hardly keep up with the demand. The next generation was working hard, probably getting them new jonins by the end of the year. Right now, most of the current jonins were teachers, which left only the ANBU for high profile missions.

“You’re being reckless.”  
“Maah, I’m fine.”  
“There are supposed to be three Anbu guarding you, yet I am alone. Furthermore you let newly graduated chunins guard you. Any visiting ninja will see this weakness.”  
“Tenzo... I am more than capable to defend myself.”  
“Don’t call me that, senpai.”  
“Speaking of that, you found a new Hound?”  
“Yes. I trained him myself. He learns quickly. His fighting style is closest to the Hound, so I gave him the mask. It is important that the myth of Anbu Hound doesn’t get lost. I know how much time and effort it took to establish.”

Kakashi had long since taken off the hat and mantle of Hokage. He was wearing a standard jonin uniform including the vest. The office was incredibly neat. More so than Yamato had ever seen it. A week ago it had been overflowing with paperwork. The only reminder now was a small stack on the desk. It was already well past the time to leave.

“Are you mad?”  
“...no. I just always expected to rejoin ANBU once my students were strong enough. I expected to get that mask back. Did some of my best work with it.”  
“Senpai, you are the Hokage now. Everybody trusts you to lead.”  
“I was always better fit to be a shadow.”

Yamato took the porcelaine cat mask off. He fixed Kakashi with a stern look.

“You inspire people. Not just as Hound – the deadliest Anbu the leaf has ever had. Kakashi Hatake, the copy nin – He lead the shinobi alliance in the great war, united the nations against a common foe. Konoha doesn’t need Hound, it needs Kakashi.”  
“Thank you. I needed that pep talk. Also, good evasion. Copy nin isn’t half as well known as Kakashi of the sharingan. But let’s leave.”

They moved silently, without a noticeable chakra signature. Konoha’s guards were unaware that their Hokage left the building. The elders knew why Kakashi’s bingo entry was so short. If they wanted reliable stats on him, they’d look up the last 20 years of the Hound. But then again the Hound was a myth, the leaf’s strongest Anbu. He had signature white hair, lightning jutsus, a rather tall man at least 1.8m, well versed in kenjutsu. The entry was old, one of the firsts. 

There was a saying that went with it: The Hound never loses a scent. 

The elders had used this legend before, but the Hound had never been as feared as when Kakashi Hatake had been behind the mask. A jack of all trades. A talented man that chose to model his fighting style to fit the legend. If there had been times when the facade fell, no one lived long enough to tell.

Even if they weren’t opposed to him becoming Hokage, the elders did regret losing such a valuable asset. Little did they know that the man himself was longing to return to the shadows.


End file.
